With a new OPC UA connector, data can be queried from any OPC UA-capable device and transferred to the supported clouds. As before, CloudRail relies on a very simple plug & play approach: the 'CloudRail.Box' is simply plugged into the same network as the OPC UA device, the desired data points and the target cloud are selected - and that's it. The rest of the configuration is handled completely automatically by the box.

"We are still convinced that data for cloud applications should be tapped as far down the automation pyramid as possible, namely in the IO-Link master. With the OPC UA extension, we are now giving the user more flexibility to query a batch number from the controller in parallel with the sensor data, for example," says Felix Kollmar, Managing Director of CloudRail. "This means, for example, that a data pattern recorded by the sensors can be precisely assigned to a produced part. This is extremely important in the field of predictive quality, for example, where the aim is to predict whether a manufactured product will have quality defects or not," continues Kollmar.

The 'CloudRail.Box' will also be ready for edge computing in the future. This allows data to be pre-processed locally, for example, so that only filtered data points can be transferred to the cloud. At the same time, the built-in 4-core processor can also be used to implement complex applications, for example with the help of machine learning. Felix Kollmar explains: "It would be conceivable, for example, to train a model with sensor data in the cloud. The almost unlimited resources of a cloud platform such as AWS or Azure - combined with easy-to-use machine learning components - can be used to process enormous amounts of data. The resulting model can then be executed locally with the help of edge computing. The decision as to whether a manufactured part is faulty, for example, is made very quickly and without a constant stream of data to the cloud."

There are two different options to choose from: with the first, it is possible to create code in JavaScript and execute it in a special environment on the box, regardless of the cloud used. This has the advantage that the logic can also be used in multi-cloud environments or with cloud providers without their own edge computing functionality. The second option is the edge computing functionality 'AWS Greengrass' offered by AWS, which can then only be used with Amazon Web Services, but is perfectly integrated with this cloud. This allows new functions to be created directly from AWS, for example, which are then executed on the box.

What do these enhancements mean for existing customers? All new features will also be available on previously purchased CloudRail devices via a remote firmware update. The update will be available to all customers shortly after the Nuremberg trade fair and can be installed with just one click.

The 'CloudRail.Box' can be seen at the CloudRail stand and at various partners - for example at IFM (Hall 7A, Stand 302), Contrinex (Hall 7A Stand 406) or AWS (Hall 6 Stand 141).